Myanmar to stage floating water festival at tourist site

YANGON, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar has planned to hold a floating water festival in Inle Lake, Shan state, in mid-April to celebrate the fall of traditional Myanmar new year, organizers said on Friday.

The first ever four-day Inle Floating Thingyan Water festival will start on April 13, the eve of the festival, at the Inle Cultural Heritage Trust Complex in Nan Pan village, Nyaungshwe township.

About 200,000 tourists and 500,000 locals from the region are expected to take part in the festival, featuring entertainment programs such as songs and dances as well as Mr and Miss Inle 2019 contests.

Myanmar's landmark Inle Lake receive a large number of foreign visitors, most of whom are from Thailand, according to tourism authorities.

The 489,721 hectares' Inle Lake is located in Nyaungshwe Township, Taunggyi District, in the southern part of Shan State.

The wetland ecosystem of this freshwater lake is home to 267 species of birds, out of which 82 are wetland birds, 43 of freshwater fishes, otters and turtles. Diverse flora and fauna species are also recorded.

The Inle Lake is reported to be the nesting place for globally endangered Sarus crane.

In addition to its ecological importance, Inle Lake is also unique for the way how local inhabitants adapt life style to environment.

Myanmar launched the country's first Biosphere Reserve Inle Lake of the UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in December 2015, opening a new chapter in its commitment to bio-diversity and eco-system conservation.